The Honolulu Strangler
Abductor |signature = Binding victims' hands behind their back|mo = Rape Strangulation|victims = 5-9 killed|time = May 30, 1985 - May 3, 1986|capture = Never|status = Unknown|image = Unidentified.jpg}} The Honolulu Strangler, also referred as "The Honolulu Rapist", is a still-unidentified serial killer and rapist (and possible abductor) who murdered at least five women between 1985 and 1986. Some experts have linked him to a total of nine murders between 1982 and 1987. Brief Case History The Honolulu Police Department had established a 27-person serial killer taskforce on February 5 with help from the FBI and the Green River taskforce. The killer's profile was that of a stalker who attacked women who were vulnerable, such as alone at bus stops. He also likely lives or works in the area of the attacks, Waipahu or Sand Island. Police set up roadblocks at the time of the Pesce murder to question frequent commuters. Witnesses came forward saying they had seen a light colored van and a Caucasian or mixed-race man with Pesce's car. Following the discovery of Pesce's body, police arrested the informant on May 9 as the primary suspect. The suspect's ex-wife and girlfriend described him as a smooth talker. They also provided a potentially incriminating fetish clue, as both recalled engaging in bondage activity, allowing him to tie them up and have sex with their hands bound behind their back. His girlfriend related that on nights after they had fought, he would leave the house, and that these were the same nights the murders had occurred. The suspect lived in Ewa Beach and worked as a mechanic at one of the air freight carriers along Lagoon Drive. Between 8:00 p.m. and 3:00 a.m., the suspect was interrogated, failed a polygraph test and was eventually released. Police followed the suspect and a $25,000 reward for information was put out by private businesses. Two months after the arrest of the suspect, a woman came forward and claimed she saw Pesce with a man on the night of her murder. She successfully picked the suspect out of a photo lineup as the man. She did not want to be a witness because she believed he saw her as well therefore the man was released and the killer was never caught. Modus Operandi Police suspected that the killer was a smooth talker and presumably a stalker/voyeur. He targeted females who were in their late-teens to mid-thirties. Killer would (presumably) abduct them when opportunity was good, for example from bus stops. A witness spotted a man with a dark brown or black bomber jacket, black jeans, black shoes and a ski mask driving a car away from the last place Regina Sakamoto was seen, this could be pointed to as his killing attire. Then, the perpetrator bound their hands behind their back, rape or sexually assault them. After he got his urges satisfied, women were strangled to death. Some bodies were found naked, some of them were clothed. Women's bodies were found from different places (like next to driveway). Suspect *Howard Gay Dutcher (1934-2012) **Former 101st Airborne Paratrooper. **Lived in Sand Island. **Known by his middle name rather than his last name. **Violently beat up a female when she refused to get a ride from him. **Was seen with Linda Pesce before she was killed and knew where her body was. **Had a vasectomy like the killer. **Drove a cream-colored van like the killer. **Had access to parachute rope, which was used to tie the victims up. **Drove the route where all the victims were picked up. **Arrested on suspicion of being the killer, but released due to very limited evidence. **Fled to the mainland after being released, at which point the killings stopped. Known Victims Confirmed *Honolulu: **May 30, 1985: Vicki Gail Purdy, 25 **1986: ***January 14-15: Regina Sakamoto, 17 ***February 1 : Louise Medeiros, 21 ***April 2 : Louise Medeiros, 25 ***May 3 : Linda Pesce, 36 Possible * January 20-31, 1982: Lisa Au, 19 * December 4, 1982: Sally Field, 27 * July 6, 1985: Diane Suzuki * Unspecified date in 1987: Tammy Okama, 22 On Criminal Minds * Season One ** "Extreme Aggressor" - While not being mentioned or directly referenced in the episode, Honolulu Strangler may have been inspire unsub Timothy "Tim" Vogel. Both were serial killers and serial rapists who targeted women. Their M.O was also similar: victims were abducted, raped and murdered by strangulation. Vogel had also similar nickname - "the Seattle Strangler". Sources * Wikipedia's article about the Honolulu Strangler * Hawaii News Now: Murder of Lisa Au Category:Stubs Category:Unsolved Cases Category:Real Serial Killers Category:Real World Criminals Category:Real Life Rapists Category:Real Life Killers Category:Real Life Child Killers Category:Real People Category:Unreferenced Criminals Category:Candidates for deletion